Abstract
Objective: To compare dietary magnesium intake and magnesium concentrations in serum, red blood cells (RBC) and urine during pregnancy of women habitually following a long-term plant-based diet and of women following an average Western (control) diet.
Design: Prospective study during pregnancy.
Setting: Giessen, Germany.
Subjects: Healthy pregnant women (n=108) in their 9–12th, 20–22nd and 36–38th gestational week habitually following a plant-based diet for more than 3 y or an average Western diet. The vegetarians were subdivided into ovo-lacto vegetarians (n=27) and low-meat eaters (n=43).
Results: Significant higher dietary magnesium intakes were observed in pregnant women consuming a plant-based diet (508±14 mg/day for ovo–lacto vegetarians, P<0.001 and 504±11 mg/day for low-meat eaters, P<0.001) than in pregnant women consuming a control diet (412±9 mg/day). Serum magnesium concentrations were similar in all diet groups whereas RBC magnesium was slightly higher in low-meat eaters than in controls (P=0.058). Urinary magnesium excretion was higher in ovo-lacto vegetarians (P=0.023), followed by low-meat eaters (P=0.017) when compared to the control group. During the third trimester of pregnancy, the frequency and the occurrence of calf cramps was lower in the plant-based diet group than in the control group (P=0.004 and 0.008).
Conclusions: Owing to a higher dietary magnesium intake confirmed by higher urinary magnesium excretion, habitual plant-based diets result in a slightly improved magnesium status during pregnancy and reduce the frequency of calf cramps during the third trimester of pregnancy compared to an average Western diet. Therefore, plant-based diets during pregnancy can be recommended with regard to magnesium supply.
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Acknowledgements
We thank the pregnant women who agreed to participate in the study. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Eden Foundation, Bad Soden, Germany and the Stoll Vita Foundation, Waldshut, Germany.
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Guarantor: C Koebnick.
Contributors: CK, RL, UAH, IH, and CL contributed to the design of the study. CK, UAH, and RL were available for the participants during the study period in the study center. CK, UAH, TH, and ALG were responsible for the data management, statistical analysis, and interpretation of the data. SG, NK contributed to the laboratory analysis. CK, UAH, TH, and ALG performed the literature research. All authors contributed to the conduct of the study, data collection and writing of the manuscript. CL is the principal investigator and contributed to all parts of the study.
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Koebnick, C., Leitzmann, R., García, A. et al. Long-term effect of a plant-based diet on magnesium status during pregnancy. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 219–225 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602062
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602062